Steering Rack And Pinion problems of the 1998 Mazda 626

Steering rack gear broke in two with no warning, car went out of control, crossed highway, down a small embankment and into the trees (narrowly missing an oncoming small truck). My wife was driving and was suffered aggravation to existing back and leg problems. She said she heard a "clunk" and the car took off across the road. At first she thought she hit something in the road to cause the car to go out of control. I checked the car out at the towing companies lot that night and determined that the left front control arm was loose under the rubber boot on the drivers side of the car. I asked the dealer now repairing the car to save any steering parts. They replaced the rack and pinion as a unit and I now have it. I have not disassembled it but it is obviously broke under the boot where the rack exits the rack and pinion housing on the driver's side. Comment: cars shouldn't break like this with only 61,000 miles on them. This car has received regular lubrication maintenance and when I have driven it recently showed no sign of impending steering problems such as clunks, tight steering, road wander, etc. It was just fine until it broke.